I May Hug A Tree

There is a very tall tree in the distance that I can see out of my front window. I just noticed it recently because I just re-arranged my furniture in a way that makes me look out the window much more throughout the day than I used to. I'm looking at it right now. It interests me for many reasons. For one it is by far the tallest tree around here. That is a little sad because Ankazambo means “between the tall trees” but there aren't really many left. Another reason it interests me is because it is surrounded by a clustering of slightly shorter trees. Like a last holdover from the rainforests that used to cover this area. Probably less than 400 years ago. I must walk to it and will some day soon. I want to see both how tall it actually is up close and what the mini-ecosystem around it looks like. It's probably similar to what the whole valley used to look like on a much smaller scale.

Deforestation is a major issue here in Madagascar much as it is in almost every part of the world. The island used to be covered in rainforests but is now largely vast expanses of brown grass and low trees. Much of the deforestation had been done by the time Europeans began to conquer the island and dubbed it the “red island” for all of the red clay. The only forests left are the protected areas and national parks. The national park system here is impressive and beautiful but it is a small percentage of what used to be. It seems I will be adding reforestation to my growing list of projects I wish to develop. (Let's see, there is: gardening and the associated techniques, nutrition and cooking, chicken farming, beekeeping, rice farming, seed saving, financial management, organizational training for the blacksmiths co-op, a hopefully established soon new co-op for farming in my village, pump pedal/drip irrigation, and now this. I also want to create a picture intensive book about companion planting and crop rotation so that is can be used by illiterate folks and try to compile a reasonably good dictionary of Tsimihety words to leave for future volunteers. Now I've said it so I have to do all of these things. I will be a very busy boy)

Reforestation is an important project for many reasons. The first one could be aesthetics. Rainforests are beautiful and lush. Grassy, rocky soils are decidedly less so. Although my region is gorgeous it could be even more so with some trees to go with the breath-taking mountains. The second is for the global problem of climate change. Since it is pretty widely know and believed that the Earth is getting warmer and people have something to do with it (all though I suppose you could argue about the extent of human impact the fact that it is happening is undeniable) the re-growing of forests worldwide is important. They scrub the air of carbon dioxide (too much of which is bad for the atmosphere) and add oxygen (the building block of human, and most other Earthly forms of, life. Yay!) Reforestation can also change the climate of the local area it is done in in a positive way. The region I am in has an extended dry season that is going on right now that goes until at least October. Reforesting the area will not eliminate the dry season. But it would more than likely shorten it or make it much less severe. Trees play an important role in the process of evaporation, cloud formation, and precipitation. It is a complicated process but essentially more trees equals more rain. That is obviously good for growing things. More cloud cover also generally lowers temperature which is needed. Plus, when it's hot it's nice to have some shade. All good things. Then, during the rainy season when it is raining non-stop, trees help to shield the soil from hard rain and hold it together with their roots thus preventing run-off and erosion. They are also great for soil health because the natural cycle of leaf growth and shedding recycles nutrients back into the soil. Trees and nature are much better at composting than humans ever will be (and they make it look so effortless those jerks. It's like they're made to do it.) So, interestingly enough, giving some land back to nature as opposed to farming it, actually helps agriculture as a whole by increasing yields. Another great by-product of reforestation is, with proper management, the new forests can be responsibly harvested for logging purposes and provide income that is sustainable and needed.

Planting some trees here in my village will not solve global climate problems. It will not even solve all local issues. The problem with this issue, much like all important issues we face today, is it is a bit bigger than the scope of one person to solve. It requires millions, if not billions, of participants and international governmental cooperation as well. However, if everyone does a little it can make a difference. A tree here or a new growth forest there. It all helps. I'll get off my soap-box now.